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Post by tims on Jun 11, 2015 20:50:42 GMT -5
A couple for fossilman ...
The long one is about 9" long, 4" diameter. The shorter piece has much better detail. I've got a can full of small pointy ends but I'm not sure if they're baculite end pieces or what ...
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Post by tims on Jun 12, 2015 22:46:27 GMT -5
Fossilman here's something I haven't seen before, crystal baculite:
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Post by tims on Jun 14, 2015 20:33:27 GMT -5
Slow going, everything I want to do seems to require something else gets done first. Spent today trimming around a couple big lilacs and clearing more of the front yard, and actually got a few rocks laid down (though I imagine they'll get shuffled around some more before I'm done). So, a ton more pictures because my phone camera is nice and light
The triangular patch where the cats are sitting is now cleared and ready for sheeting and rock:
Here are the lilacs that will be surrounded by rock:
I found some expanded metal grating that I'm hoping to use for tables along the side of this shed, going to haggle for them tomorrow:
Anyone need an outhouse?
Much more excavating to do. Here's a big half-submerged coral-looking critter with some misc. rocks I was able to rescue without a shovel. The whole area (probably 300 square feet) is littered with rock from loose piles and long-ago disintegrated wooden tables: Big agates being absorbed under a tree: Shovel work that might wait til next Spring as it's growing over fast (the small grate I set out early this Spring while hand picking little stuff):
Here's one side of my front porch that will be getting a pile and a stone path. Not much left to clear out but I have to trim up a couple fruit trees to make it accessible:
50 feet of hard labor coming to excavate the pile along the front fence, it's anywhere from 1' to 3' high above ground and anywhere up to a foot below ground. It's not stacked quite as deep on the far side of the fence but total there's some tonnage involved:
There are also about a dozen misc. piles that I've found scattered around other spots in the yard:
The other side of my front porch filling in:
I'm hoping to hire some help to haul off limbs / brush etc. in the next couple of days and should have table material soon, so with luck and some sunshine there may be some visible progress by next weekend. Oh, and anyone who hasn't read Tom Sawyer is welcome to stop by and help, it's a whole lot of fun!
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Post by tims on Jun 22, 2015 22:46:57 GMT -5
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jun 23, 2015 7:06:55 GMT -5
You can do it, Tim! Those are some cool rocks you're finding and the triangle area is looking good.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,685
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Post by Fossilman on Jun 23, 2015 10:00:43 GMT -5
Fossilman here's something I haven't seen before, crystal baculite:
HOLY MOLLY Tim!!!!! I have never sen something like that either!!! NICE!!! Two thumbs up
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,685
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Post by Fossilman on Jun 23, 2015 10:03:55 GMT -5
A couple for fossilman ...
The long one is about 9" long, 4" diameter. The shorter piece has much better detail. I've got a can full of small pointy ends but I'm not sure if they're baculite end pieces or what ...
Tim post photos of the end pieces....Could possibly be pieces of busted ammonites too...
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marinedad
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since December 2010
Posts: 813
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Post by marinedad on Jun 23, 2015 11:05:22 GMT -5
looks like some hidden gems in there, scavenger hunt.
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Post by gingerkid on Jun 23, 2015 11:39:25 GMT -5
Looks like you're progress is coming along nicely...and one of your cats approves, tims. Love the garnets! Some of the orangish material may be carnelian?
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Post by tims on Jun 23, 2015 22:36:22 GMT -5
Carnelian. Thank you gingerkid ! ID tips are greatly appreciated.
Hey Fossilman I'll try to dig out those end pieces. I've been so focused on the yard I'd almost forgotten the stuff in the shed. There are cans and cans but I should be able to dig them out, I thinned out the shed contents last summer and got things accessible at least.
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Post by tims on Jun 27, 2015 2:16:07 GMT -5
For the life of me, the can of end pieces escapes me They'll turn up.
In the meantime, chipping away at the stone. This big red jasper is symbolic of why I'm so slow; it was completely buried under dirt, and wrestling it around to scrub it with brush and water put an end to my day. For future reference, don't bury pitted rocks
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Post by tims on Jul 28, 2015 19:51:28 GMT -5
A couple for fossilman ...
The long one is about 9" long, 4" diameter. The shorter piece has much better detail. I've got a can full of small pointy ends but I'm not sure if they're baculite end pieces or what ...
Tim post photos of the end pieces....Could possibly be pieces of busted ammonites too...
Hey Fossilman here's that can of "snake tails." I think they're belemnites not baculite.
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Post by gingerkid on Jul 29, 2015 22:08:00 GMT -5
Woah, tims, your red jasper is huge. ROFL @ your advice not to bury pitted rocks. Really like your belemnites, too. Were they in your yard, too? Do any of them have opal in 'em?
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Post by tims on Jul 30, 2015 0:12:05 GMT -5
gingerkid, the belemnites were a shed find; I need to go through that can and clean up / take a better look at the individual pieces. I'll post pics if there are pretty ones. I've been trying to avoid the shed until I get the yard collection sorted but that might take a couple more summers. The shed holds 25 coffee cans full of smaller stuff, plus 6 big cans (5 gallon?) with medium to small stuff. And a wooden box of fossilized stuff, several good sized chunks of obsidian and some other larger pieces that for whatever reason were precious enough not to leave out in the weather. All of that needs to be sorted through, but again I'm hoping to leave the best for last and get through the massive piles around the yard first. Have been occupied with house repairs and removing trees / brush / junk, etc. so visible progress on the rock display is still pretty disappointing. I did grunt out a big field agate and pet wood today, each of which was heavier than that dainty jasper Hopefully I'll have more to share before the snow flies.
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Post by gingerkid on Jul 31, 2015 0:14:02 GMT -5
"dainty" jasper tims, is anyone helping you with your yard?
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Post by tims on Jul 31, 2015 17:32:08 GMT -5
gingerkid no, so far it's a one-man show. I'd like to find someone with real knowledge to do a walk-through with me sometime and maybe help identify some things and tell me what has value or needs special care etc. As far as getting everything above ground and visible it's on me. I did try my best Tom Sawyer impersonation, telling my buddies how fun it is to excavate and clean up piles of rocks but so far nobody has bought it
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Post by tims on Aug 9, 2015 20:28:40 GMT -5
FINALLY filled in the triangle between my front walks. Looks like a 2 day job and it took me a month
Anyway ...
This might pile up deeper but the bottom layer is down at least.
I'm still confounded in my search for tables. Have been looking at expanded metal and industrial plastic tabletops but everything is pricy. Running out of places to stack all the small stuff and it's put me at a bit of a standstill.
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Post by gingerkid on Aug 10, 2015 14:30:01 GMT -5
Your yard is looking good, tims! Some of the rocks are very large and looks like quite a workout, too. I see your pretty 'dainty' jasper in your first pic. Maybe you could check out yard sales for tables?
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Post by gingerkid on Aug 10, 2015 14:31:02 GMT -5
Tim, forgot to suggest salvage yards to you.
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Post by tims on Aug 11, 2015 12:54:55 GMT -5
I've been watching yard sales and the local Buy Sell Trade listings; something perfect will show up sooner or later.
I found an excellent top at a local metal scrapyard but haven't found a way to transport it home, it's a circular walkway made of expanded metal that came off a small oilfield tank. It's probably around 40 square feet of area and I'd just have to rig legs out of cinder blocks or something. Hopefully I can find a couple of helpers and a flatbed trailer before he decides to sell it for scrap ...
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